When Is Horizontal Directional Drilling Considered the Best Option?

Have you considered horizontal directional drilling for your next project? Horizontal directional drilling is the practice of drilling sideways into the ground to install plumbing, utilities and other pipelines. When you’re installing new services into urban areas, or trying to drill below pre-built structures, roads, rivers and more, horizontal directional drilling in Roseville, CA can make it possible.

So, when do you need to turn to horizontal directional drilling?

How horizontal directional drilling works

Open cut drilling bores vertical holes into the ground so pipes and cables can be laid. Sometimes this process is not available, however. For example, sometimes lines need to be laid under rivers or other obstacles. Horizontal directional drilling follows a drill string along a pre-determined path. Once an entrance hole is drilled and a pilot string is laid, excavators can enlarge the hole as needed, all the way to the end of the line. Drilling fluid is pumped through the line to provide lubrication to the pipe as it’s sent through.

Generally, horizontal directional drilling in Roseville, CA costs more than open cut drilling—it takes more skill, equipment and time to bore under obstacles than to cut vertical trenches in the ground. Horizontal directional drilling has less of a ground footprint than open cut drilling, but the water used in the process means many properties have issue with water seeping up to the surface.

When one option is better over the other

How do you know which approach to drilling is going to work best for your situation? Here are some factors to take into account:

• When you have obstacles on the project: Obviously, if there are any areas of your property that can’t be disturbed, but are crucial to laying your utilities, horizontal directional drilling is going to be a better option. This goes double for anytime you’re dealing with unmovable structures, or environmental features.
• Install multiple pipes from single spots: Instead of digging trenches all over your property, you can lay multiple pipes from one central location. This can be much less expensive, especially in conjunction with excavation and shoring costs. You might find that horizontal directional drilling actually lowers your project costs.
• Reduces excavation and shoring costs: When you consider a project’s cost, it’s key to understand what each type of drilling will cost you. In some cases, depending on how challenging the terrain or how extensive the lines, using horizontal directional drilling can cut down on excavation and shoring costs.
• Limited disruption: Since you’ll only be drilling at one point in the surface, you’ll see limited disruption to your property’s surface. This is especially nice for customer- or client-facing commercial properties.

Horizontal directional drilling might not be right in every Roseville, CA project, but it can be a real boon for many. It lessens the amount of disruption to the property, which—if already developed—is a huge benefit. After all, lost time means lost business.

If you need trenching or directional drilling in the Roseville area, Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc. is ready to help. Call us today to discuss your project and get an estimate.

Categorised in: Horizontal Drilling

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